Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)

1884 On the 8th of May, Harry S. Truman was born at Lamar, Missouri, USA. He was the 33rd president after Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was born to a farm near Lamar.

1919 He married Bess Wallace. After the short and unsuccessful business commitment regarding dry goods from Kansas City, Missouri, Truman joined local politics under the sponsorship of Thomas Pendergast, Democratic leader in Missouri.

1934 He was elected member of Senate and reelected in 1940. During his first term he was a loyal supporter and a silent backer of New Deal, but during the second mandate, being appointed as Head of Committee of Senate to check war production, Truman revealed his special qualities of honesty, politeness and devotion to work, so getting widespread respect.

1944 He was elected vice president.

1945 Truman became president after Roosevelt had suddenly died on April, and he was immediately faced to World War II’s problems and also to people’s grounding for post-war period. Germany capitulated on the 8th of May and on July Truman participated to Conference to Postdam in order to decide the way to manage defeated Nazi Germany which had signed its unconditional surrender.

To finish war against Japan, he authorized the atomic bombing to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th of August. On the 14th of August, 1945, Japan surrendered. Even if this action undoubtedly saved a lot of Americans because the war finished, the morality of decision is still debated.

1947-1948 This period of time was for civil rights, Truman doctrine stopped communism’s share and Marshall Plan helped nations’ economic reconstruction after the war. The registered general record of Truman was pointed out by a vigorous campaign Fair Deal that led to his unexpected election in 1948, to the detriment of favourite Thomas E. Dewey.

During the second term, Truman was firstly concerned about the Cold War, against Soviet Union, about North-Atlantic Pact implementation and about United Nations police action in Korea, extensive programme of rearmament and about the issues related to economic stabilization.

1952 On the 29th of March Truman announced that he would not candidate again to chairmanship. After he had left the White House, he returned to his house in Independence, Missouri, to write his memoirs and then he took care of Harry S. Truman Library.